Parshas Shemos

Chazal tell us that Avraham asked Hashem (Brieshes 15;8) “Bameh aidah”- How will I know that my descendents will inherit me? To which he was answered- seemingly as a punishment- “Yoda tiedah” You shall know that your descendants will have to endure 400 years of exile and suffering. The Masai Hashem (the rebbi of the Alshach and Baal Lecha Dodi) explains that the golous Mitzraim wasn’t a punishment but rather Hashem answered Avrahams question. The very first Rashi in the Torah teaches us that Klal Yisroel having the Torah proves that Eretz Yisroel rightfully belongs to us and we didn’t just go to war and kick the Cnanim out of their land. The Torah is like our receipt that we were righteously given the land as an inheritance. Avraham fully believed in Hashem that he’ll have a son, he just wanted that when the nations of the world should realize that Eretz Yisroel belonged to him. He wanted Hashem to give him the Torah- the deed to Eretz Yisroel right then. To which Hashem told him- not as a punishment but rather as an explanation, three things are only acquired through hardships Eretz Yisroel, Torah and the world to come. In order for your descendants to receive the Torah, and with that Eretz Yisroel they will first have to endure the hardships of a exile, be redeemed and be created by Hashem as a nation. The golous is just the path we must embark on, in order to get to the geulah.

P.s. excuse the grammer, spelling its close to shabbos, sorry. Shabbos Shalom!

Chanukah

In ‘Al hanissim’ we thank Hashem for delivering “The strong in the hand of the weak, the many in the hands of the few, the impure in the hands of the pure, the wicked in the hands of the righteous…” The meforshim ask, the miracle of strong and many in the hands of the few and weak is a miracle worth mentioning, but what is the big deal if the victors happened to have been pure and righteous - that doesn’t make the miracle any bigger, so why mention it in the tefilah?

The miracle of Chanukah was twofold, one, Klal Yisroel defeated the mighty Greek empire. “The many in the hands of the few, strong in the hands of the weak…” The second miracle was that the oil that was enough to last one day lasted for eight. Yet we only commemorate the miracle of the oil and not our victory at war.
There are two different types of miracle, one is that we do some kind of hishtadlus- effort however small and Hashem ‘helps us’. Then there is a miracle where we just sit back and leave it up to Hashem to take care of us and our needs. Chanukah has both aspects. The Chashmonaim went out battle physically- even though they were heavily outnumbered they did what they were able and Hashem helped them out. (As opposed to Purim when all Klal Yisroel did was daven.) The miracle of the oil on the other hand was purely by Hashem from start to end.
The Chachomim of the time foresaw that if they institute a commemoration for the miracle, later generations would come and make the mistake and celebrate the unlikely victory and forget what it stood for and that it was all from Hashem. (As can be seen in modern day Israel every sports team is named Macabee.) Instead they gave us the miracle of the oil lasting for eight days as a miracle to celebrate and commemorate. A miracle that we will never be able to take credit, and all generations will thank Hashem.

Maybe we can suggest that is why we mention that the victors of Chanukah were pure and righteous, to remind us in later generations that the war wasn’t fought for our own political benefits and wasn’t won through our involvement. Only we fought for Hashems greatness and only because of him did we defeat the mighty and impure Greeks.

Parshas Vayishlach

As Yaakov was in battle with the angel, the malach said, “Let me go for it's morning" Chazal tell us that he meant that 'it's time for me to sing shira to Hashem'.
The Koshnitzer Maggid asks - If he knew that he has to sing shira at a appointed time why did he pick a fight with Yaakov so close to that time? Wouldn’t it have been smarter for him to fight with Yaakov after he sang shira?
The answer lies in the understanding of who the angel was and what his tachlis- purpose on this world. Chazal teach us that the angel was the 'sar shel Esav' also known as the yetzer horah.
On the last day of creation it says, (bereishes 1;31) "Hashem saw all that he had made, and lo! It was very good." The medrish explains that 'It was good' refers to the yetzer tov, while the 'very good' refers to the yetzer horah. The meforshim explain that life would be nice and calm without an evil inclination, but without any tests we wouldn't be able to grow. Being challenged by the yetzer horah and overcoming it is what makes this world 'very good'. The whole purpose of creation in general and the evil inclination in particular is to help us grow by overcoming the obstacles we are faced with and when we do, the evil inclination has accomplished it's purpose of creation.
Shira is sang to Hakodosh borech hu when a mission has been accomplished. The precise second that the angel saw that he could not win over Yaakov, that in fact Yaakov had overcome the yetzer horah his mission was completed successfully and thus was able to sing shira to Hashem.

Parshas Vayietzai Ponderable Points

Why is it important for the Torah to tell us the give and take between Yakoov and the shepherds about the rock on top of the well and that Yakoov (The 'ish tam') was able to roll it off himself?

Why did Yakoov offer to work for seven years?
(In the Torah we find we find the concept of working for six- days, years and resting the seventh. Shabbos, Shmitta and eved evrey)

Is there a significance that all the Shvotim where named by their mothers? (With the exception of Levi)

How come Yakoov left Lavans house before his mother called for him, as she said she will?

Parshas Toldas- Yitzchok

As we learn the Parshas of Yitzchok we realize that there isn't much to say about him as an individual. We see him at the Akaidah which the Torah credits his father, Avrohom with. We don't learn anything about him when his mother died. His marriage is arranged by Avrohom and his servant Eliezer. Even the brochos that he received- and passed down to Yakoov, were just the brochos of Avraham. Yet there are things that about Avraham that aren't known until the Torah tells it to us by Yitzchok. We don't know anything special about Sarahs tent or about the wells that Avraham dug and there names, until we learn that Yitzchok took the same steps as his father.

All three Avos had a certain middah that they perfected and found Hashem with. Avraham was the amud hachesed- always giving, and revealed Hashem to the world as the ultimate giver. All that Avraham gave, was just to get the people to come to the realization that everything is from Hashem. The Medrash relates that when a weary traveler would come to Avraham he would be served the best food and drink one could find. When it came time to pay Avraham would charge an rbitant amount of money. The only way to bargain with him was if you thanked Hashem and benched. If you realized that it wasn’t Avraham giving you the food, only Hashem then you didn’t owe him a dime. We see that all the chesed Avraham did was to spread the knowledge of the ultimate chesed provider, Hashem.

Yitzchok’s middah was gevurah- strength, being able to withstand anything that you are faced with. When showered by Hashem with chesed too much can be detrimental. Yitzchak was able to filter the chesed, to take and utilize what was necessary and deflect what wasn’t.
While the trait of chesed is to be the giver, gevurah is to be the taker. One has to be able to to receive the chesed from Hashem and when the time comes have the strength to say, enough of chesed. This can be explained with a parable. A fruit tree that grows has nutrients flowing from the roots into the fruits it bears. The nutrients are the chesed, the flowing of good- while the recipient is the fruit it self. Have you ever seen a fruit that stays on the tree to long? It bursts. Gevurah is needed to receive and at the same time say stop enough of the bracha, anymore will be harmful.

Elokai Avraham is the infinite giver. Elokai Yitchok is the one that helps us get the bracha and make it usable for each one of us the right amount we need and can handle. (Mi sheomar leolamo dai- Hashem told the creation to stop, enough bracha, without that gevurah the world would be a jumble of chesed with no form.)

Yitzchok with his gevurah doesn’t have anything on his own for everything originates from Avraham and chesed. Yitzchok is just the reflection of Hashems good. Taking the chesed that was revealed to the world through Avraham and showing that Hashem in his infinite wisdom knows exactly how much kindness is needed. Yet the bracha of Avraham is only potential for it didn’t have a form. The bracha of Sarahs tent and that of Avrahams wells weren’t realize until Yitzchok came along and gave it its life.

Parshas Chai Sorah

Every Shemonah Esrai starts with praise for Hashem, we praise him for being the one that runs the world. We start off by saying 'Elokai Avraham’- the G-d of our forefather Avraham. This doesn't seem like an appropriate way to praise an omnipotent g-d- one that rules every being, that he's the G-d of one person or even three individuals- Avraham Yitzchak and Yakoov. Wouldn’t it be a bigger praise just to say our G-d and the G-d of the universe? Why do we individualize him as being the ruler of our forefathers?

When Avraham sends Eliezer to find a wife for Yitzchak, he makes him swear in the name of the "G-d of heaven and the G-d of the earth” that he shall not take a wife for Yitzchok form the daughters of Canaan. While a few pesukim later he says "Hashem the G-d of the heaven, who took me from my fathers land..." and fails to mention the fact that Hashem is the G-d of the earth. Rashi explains that Avraham said that when I left Charan it was only G-d of the heaven for nobody knew of him but now I can say G-d of the land also, for I spread his glory and people know of him.
This sounds astonishing, wasn't Hashem always the creature of heaven and earth? What changed after Avraham spread the word and knowledge of Hashem that only after that was he G-d of the land?
Reb Yitzchak Hutner in a letter in reference to, establishing a day to commemorate the Holocaust. He writes that wherever there is a Jew in this world, there is a witness of Hashem. Every Yid is a resting place for the Shchina. Hashem choose to manifest his glory in the very soul of each and every Jew. A Yid not just symbolizes that there is a G-d but rather is a actual “dira betachtonim”- a house for the presence of Hashem, down on this world. (He explains the cause of anti-semitism that the Goyim know and feel this, and in their illusion to eradicate Hashem from his world wish to destroy Klal Yisroel.)
Avraham Avinu was the first one to recognize Hashem and call him the master of the World. In doing so Hashem rested his glory in Avrahams soul, and thus for the first time having a place to dwell in this world. Never before had Hashem actually rested down in our world until Avraham came along and actually brought Hashem into his own world. That is what Avraham told Eliazer that before he recognized Hashem and brought him down to the earth he was only 'Elokai Hashmaim'- he didn’t have a house down on the land. This is what we mean when we say 'elokai Avrahom' the same kind of G-d that our forefather had, the G-d that has a presence down on this world in each one of us, thanks to Avrahom.

Parshas Ki Savoh

All over the world Yidden on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur shed thousands of tears when we say the tefilah of “Unisaneh tokef”. If we think about it it seems as if we don’t understand what is the important part of the davening. All that tefilah is just a mussar shmooze, just telling us what happens on these exalted days. It’s not at that moment that we are being judged and it’s not the highlight of the tefilos. If anything we should be crying when we crown Hashem by saying Malchios, zichronos and shofros or when we blow the shofar. What is it about this small tefilah before Kedusha that became the highlight of our Mussaf?
Ezra implemented the reading of Parshas Ki Savoh- the Parsha that contains 98 curses, before Rosh Hashanah because “Tichlah shanah v’kililosehuh” the year and it’s curses shall come to an end. What does that mean just because we read the Parsha how does that translate into a year of blessing?
The Rma”z (one of the big chachmai kabola) writes that if one reads the curses with yiras shamaim it’s as if he lived through them. The Beer Moshe (Ozlevah Rebbah) explains, that the point of bad things befalling Klal Yisroel is that we should come to fear Hashem. To come to the realization that everything we get or don’t get, the good and the bad all come from our father in heaven. We say on Yom Kipper “Ki atah tzadik al kol haboh aleinu” For you are righteous on all that befalls us. We can translate this to mean that we put our full faith in Hashem that anything that will happen to us is coming from Hashem and is just. Standing less then two weeks away from the day of judgment, we read about curses and what can happen to us if we don’t listen to Hashem. What we have to believe is that the only thing that keeps us removed from all those terrible things stated in the Parsha, is Hashem’s loving kindness. That on our own standing we don’t deserve anything that we have or the good we ask Hashem to send us in the new year. “Whatever Hashem sends our way is righteous”. Ezra told us a deep secret, if we read the curses before Rosh Hashanah and picture ourselves going through all of it and then believing that Hashem is the one that’s saving us from every curse and in his infinite kindness gives us all the good, then there is no need to live through it.
This special gift of being able to come to Yiras Hashem just through visualizing the potential calamities was put into our Rosh Hashana mussaf by Reb. Amnon. When we say the beautiful yet frightening words of Unesanah Tokef the point is to experience the words “who will live and who will die,…who with water and who with fire….” To realize that on the day of judgment we stand there in front of Hashem deserving nothing and that anything we get is overflowing with his kindness.

Based on a shmooze given by, Reb Elyah Brudny Shlit"a.

Elul- The Answer

The real question is that why did Klal Yisroel need a reminder of the shofar not to sin again couldn’t they learn from their mistake? They just got burned for making an eigal now a mere forty days later they weren’t going to do the same thing all over.

The Maharal says that Klal Yisroel were only able to make the Eigal at the exact moment that Moshe was getting the Luchos from Hashem. The nisayoin of the eigal wasn’t just a desire to worship an idol it was a cosmic mistake. Klal Yisroel thought that this was the right way to worship Hashem. Klal Yisroel grew to a level where they needed something to hold onto, something spiritual to connect them to Hashem and that lead them to the Eigal. The connection they felt they were missing was in reality being given to them at that second, Hashem was giving the Luchas to Moshe right then. They felt a connection- which was real, but was still in heaven. They wanted to see and feel it right away and not wait until Hashem gave them what he knew was the connection they were yearning for.
The second time Moshe went up to heaven there was no risk of Klal Yisroel making a Eigal for the risk was only there when the luchas were there, when there was a yearning for a higher connection. But they had lost that level when they made the eigal and Moshe broke the luchas.
Along came Rosh Chodesh Elul. Moshe was going up once again this time with two tablets of stone for the luchas to be written on. For forty days Klal Yisroel was to prepare themselves and come closer to Hashem through teshuvah. Along with this closeness came along the Yetzar Harah to jump closer to Hashem than permissible. The defense for this was the shofar to wake them up and remind them not to make false connections to Hashem.
Just like the first Elul we relive that closeness every year. The Gemora says that Yom Kipper is special for it’s the day we are forgiven and it’s the day we got the luchas. The teshuvah aspect of Elul and Yom Kipper is only secondary to the closeness we should be striving for. The point of these forty days is just the same as they were in the desert, to inch forward one step at a time to Hashem and his Torah. The way to do it in Elul is through teshuvah, but we cannot lose sight of the goal.

Elul- The Question

The origin for blowing shofar in Elul, says the Tur- is related to the first Elul the Jews were in the desert. Moshe Rabbeinu went up to the Heavens for forty days and nights after Matan Torah, to bring down the Luchos to Klal Yisroel. On the seventeenth of Tamuz Klal Yisroel miscalculated and thinking that Moshe wasn’t coming down, made the golden calf. Moshe came down and saw that Klal Yisroel sinned, he dropped the Luchos and they shattered at the foot of Mt. Sinai. The next day Moshe went back up for a second set of forty days and nights to beg Hashem for forgiveness for Klal Yisroel. On the last day of Av Hashem told Moshe bring me two tablets and I shall rewrite the Luchos for Klal Yisroel. Moshe came down and related all that happened to Klal Yisroel and on Rosh Chodesh Elul he went back up for a third and final set of forty days and nights this time to bring down the second Luchos. That first day of Elul they blew the shofar to notify all when Moshe went up and that they shall not come to make the same mistake that they made the first time Moshe went up. Since that Elul we blow shofar every day in Elul to commemorate and try to relive those special days Klal Yisroel had in the Midbar.
The question is why did they only blow shofar the third time Moshe went up? Why weren’t they scared of making the same mistake on the eighteenth day of Tamuz, the second time Moshe went up?
What do you think?

Parshas Ki Sietzai

“When you vow a vow onto Hashem, do not defer to pay it, for Hashem will surely demand payment of it from you, and there would be sin upon you”. The Torah is talking about when one promises a Korban you should bring it as soon as possible. The same is true with Tzedakah in general that if one pledges to give charity, it’s as severe as he gave it already and the Torah says that Hashem will demand it from him. Why is it that the Torah put such an emphasis on paying up something you merely promised - that Hashem will be ‘doresh’-demand it? After all it’s only words, you didn’t do or not do anything. If I promise to buy you a gift and don’t give it to you, you might have a right to be upset, but you cannot demand it from me, you cannot take me to court just because I promised you a gift. So why does Hashem come and demand that we pay up the gifts we pledge to hekdish?
When we promise something to Hashem in the form of tzedakah, when he demands it, it’s in our benefit. Hashem can take care of the tzedakah himself he doesn’t need our contributions, rather it’s a zechus- opportunity that he gave us to take part in the building of his institutions. The reason we would promise something is that at that moment we are unable to give for whatever reason, but we’re inspired to give so we promise. Hashem at that moment looks at our will to give and gives us credit as if we gave. If we get credit for the promising then obviously he has a right to make a demand for the actual gift. The Dubbno Maggid gives a parable. I borrow something from you and give it to a judge as a gift. If you take me to court to get me to return the item to you, the judge will obviously do anything that will let him keep the object and try to tilt the judgment in my favor. So too Hashem, when we promise something since he sees it as he got it already and he’s enjoying our gift, he will do everything he can that will let him hold on to it and make sure you come through on your pledge.

Parshas Shoftim- Reb Sabra

In Vilna at the turn of the 20th century the enlightened Jews put up a
skit making fun of the Torah and those who kept it. The script was
taken out of this weeks parsha and was about how the Torah tells us to
choose our army for wars to be fought.
The curtains rose and you see a crowd of people standing around as if
prepared for a battle when the commander gets up to make an
announcement. Whoever built a new home and did not live in it yet
should return home for he might be killed in battle and someone else
will live in his home. At this announcement some of the people on
stage jump up and run off the stage joyously "yay we don't have to
fight". the commander continues "whoever planted a vineyard and didnt
harvest it return home, for he might fall in battle....." at this some
more people jump off stage. the announcements continue "whoever
betrothed a woman but has not yet lived with her(or is in the first
year of his marriage shall return home". and at this some more people
jump off shouting "matchmaker i need a shidduch". and the audience is
laughing at this ridiculous way of choosing an army.
But it gets even funnier; at this point there is about half of the
original "army" on stage when the commander gets up and says "whoever
is scared and fainthearted let him return home lest he lose his heart
in war and cause his brothers to fall" at this all the rest of the
"army" jumps off stage "I'm scared, I'm frightened", and on stage are
left three old men, the Chofetz Chaim, R' Chiam Ozer(the rabbi of
vilna) and R' Chaim of Brisk. With this the curtain falls and the
audience is in tears from laughter at the ridiculous way the ancient
jews did war.
Someone who saw this play came to report back to R Chaim of Brisk
about this play, and asked him whats the answer to them, from what it
looks like this is the way the Torah commanded us to do war, so are
they right or is there another way of explaining the subject? R' Chaim
answered him their 100% right this is what the Torah wants our army to
look like, and this is the way the Jewish army was when they were in
Eretz Yisrael and had their own army, three old Torah scholars vs. an
entire army of elephants(eg. the Macabees were 13 soldiers taking on
the entire Greek army, and we all know the outcome of that). However
said R' Chaim they missed one point, they missed showing the end, the
end result that they missed that these three old men with their canes
go on to win the war. That is something they didnt show and wouldn't
show for that would take away the humor of their fun poking.

We look at the world and see everything works with cause and effect,
the more effort put in the better the result, the bigger and stronger
usually win, no pain no gain etc. However looking at the world this
way sometimesw makes us forget that Hashem s running the world and is
in charge of bringing out the final product of our efforts. We do our
jobs, and we must do our jobs, but then how it all ends up working out
is ultimately up to Hashem.

The Gemara brings that a Roman once asked R' Akiva what does Hashem do
all day? R' Akiva replied He acts as matchmaker.
the basic understanding of this answer is that he matches up couples
for marriage. but a deeper way of understanding the Gemara is that
everything we do in life in order for it to succeed needs help input
and the skills of others. for example, lets say you have great
marketing idea for your company, you'll need the right person to tell
him your idea and hopefully he'll see it as a good idea too. then you
need to find the right graphic designer to bring out the idea just the
right way. you'll also need approval from the entire marketing team
and board of directors before your idea even gets a chance to make out
into the world, not to say who said that the public will like it. For
all the pieces to fall into place, for you to meet just the right
person and that he should know just the right place to get things done
you need a "Matchmaker" Who will allow all the circumstances to work
out, if He deems it to and if He doesnt approve of it as great as your
idea is you just won't bump into the right people or be in the right
places, for the "Matchmaker" wasn't working with you.

So let us remember that ultimately Hashem is running the world (and
He doesn't need our help running it). And if He deems fit even three
old bent over Torah scholars will beat an entire world with its most
sophisticated weapons.
So trust in Hashem live according to His dictactes and He will match
you up with the things that will lead you to suuccess

Parshas Re'ai

ראה אנכי נתן לפניכם היום ברכה וקללה "See, I place before you this day; blessing and curse." The Mefoshrim all ask what does the posuk mean by 'see'? What is it that we should see? Wouldn't the verb 'hear' be more appropriate?
The Baal Haturim explains the pasuk to mean, See- the time when Hashem said 'anochi'- the beginning of the ten commandments. Hashem is telling us the secret in making the right decisions, to make sure we choose blessing over curse, is that we should visualize the moment of the giving of the Torah when we saw the glory of Hashem. When we stood at the foot of Har Sinai we were able to see the sounds. What was the need for that miracle of seeing what we were hearing? The Nesivous Shalom explains that 'seeing is believing' when someone sees something no one can disprove it and convince him that it never happened. Hashem made us see the glory of matan Torah so when a time comes and your not sure what to do visualize that moment of history when you saw what's right and what's wrong. That is what the Baal Haturim means 'Look', visualize for your self a time that you did see and it wasn't just hearing what someone told you. You actually saw Hashem's glory and by seeing it you cannot forget it and no one can steer you off the right path.

Married to Hashem

V'ata yisroel mah Hashem Elokecha doresh mimcha. Now Yisroel what does Hashem ask of you, all He asks for is to Fear Him, go in His ways, love Him and serve Him with all your heart an soul.

Imagine some one telling you "all I ask you to do is my laundry, wash my car, giv me food and give me money" you would tell him go take a hike, I'll do you a favor but what you're asking for is to give up my day for you and you tell me all I as you is....?

So to in the passuk above "all" Hashem asks for is a whole lot not a little favor?

another interesting thing is that Chazal tell us that there is an allusion to the Rabbinic mitzvah of making 100 brochos a day in the above passuk. For instead of reading the word as mah, what, read it as meah, 100, an allusion to 100 brochos a day. the question is what does 100 brochos have to do with the above passuk?

In order to answer the question let us go back to our friend asking us all he needs from us is.....

Now lets imagine the friend who is asking you this is your wife, or your husband. When you asked your wife "will you marry me?" and she excitedly said YES!!!, in effect what both of you were saying was You'll be cooking for me, doing my laundry, cleaning my house and so on. And when she said yes, she was saying, you'll be going to work and support me, give me my needs whatever they may be. These were things that are laying behind a simple question and answer, but no one thinks of that why? because we're dealing with marriage, and all these things are just part of the deal called marriage, and are even minor things when we look at the whole picture.

Now imagine this couple is married and he is bringing home the money, taking out the garbage and all his other jobs, she is cooking, cleaning and running a very efficient home, but they don't talk to each other. That's not a marriage you'll say, why, everyone is doing what their supposed to be doing? The answer is because one of the keys of marriage is communication speaking to each other and sharing life's experiences with each other, if this is lacking no matter how good you do our job you don't have a marriage.
So to Klal Yisroel's relationship with Hashem. Hashem doesn't need us to work for Him, do Him favors or for us to kiss up to Him. What Hashem wants from us is a bond, a connection something we call a bris. When Hashem tells us all I ask of you is to fear Me, go in My ways etc. , He is saying that I want you to live your life together with Me, be "married" to Me, and then it will be all I ask of you, because we are working on something so much more than these minor details.
And this is why there is an allusion to 100 daily borochos. because since a bond is developed through communication, in order for us to "communicate" with Hashem we make brochos. We tell Hashem thank you for preparing such a wonderful world for me, I'm going through this and this issue please help me or just saying hi I'm connected to you. Saying these things is what makes us live with Hashem, and that is why 100 brochos is so important. And this is the reason why it is alluded to in this passuk, it is telling us how to live with Hashem that all the things we do for Him are "all He asks of us".
May we all be zoche to really live our lives married to Hakodosh Boroch Hu.

Shabbos Nachmu- revised

Nachamu Nachamu ami yomar Elokaichem. On the day of Tisha Bav, as the Bais Hamikdosh is still burning we get up from the floor and just a short day later all signs of mourning are over. And the most sweetest times of the year are approaching. All over the world Jews celebrate Shbbos Nachamu as a Yom Tov for itself. "Lo hoya yomim tovim ki'Tu Bav" There's no other day in the Jewish calendar as great as the fifteenth day of Av. Just a mere six days after the saddest day comes the greatest day. All this is in preparation for the awesome days of Elul and Tishre. What does it all mean? How can we go from the lowest, literally stand up from the floor and go straight into the highest days of the year?
Rav Pam says that throughout jewish history after the biggest destructions came a spark of Geulah. The Navi in Yeshaiyah (21;12) says "The watchman said 'morning will come but also night if you really desire repent and come." The Dubbno Maggid explains it with a parable. There was once this drunkard who partied all night and tired from a whole night of drinking would sleep all day. One night he complained that it's allways dark and he never saw it day light. His friend told him you fool after every night there's a bright day you just get so caught up in the night that you fail to see the day. The same is with us - the Navi told us 'mornig will come after the dark night' but you must want to see. If we just open our eyes, if we really desire it, we will be able to see the bight morning that starts right after the dark. Rav Pam goes through history and gives example after example starting with Sancherev who had conquered all of Eretz Yisroel, but Yerushlayim was saved by a great miracle. Chazal tell us that at that moment Chizkiyahu could have become Moshiach had he sang shira. The possibility for the final yeshuah was there. After the second Bais Hamikdosh was destroyed the story of Bar Chochva played out. Reb Akiva said that Bar Chochva was Moshiach, he wasn't making a mistake. Reb Akiva was right - the spark was there, he could have been Moshiach but it was us down here that weren't ready for it. After the Spanish inquisition came a time period of the Arizal and most probably the biggest revolation of Torah in modern history. The Arizal thought it could lead to the Moshiach. Time and time again after each destruction came a spark of redemtion, the brightest day, but we were still sleeping and couldn't see it.
It's ingrained in our relationship with our father in heaven that we cannot fall too low. (The Ramchal says that right after the second Bais Hamikdosh was destroyed the Bais Hamikdosh shel mallah- the one in heaven which cannot be destroyed, changed from the seconed to the third Bais Hamikdosh. Meaning that as the fire was consuming the Bais Hamikdosh the possibility for the third Bais Hamikdosh was there already.) After the darkest time of our history that is when the biggest light shines forth from Hashem.
So too is true in the jewish year. Tu Bav is that kind of day. After the Meraglim Hashem didnt speak to Moshe for thirty eight years. The day that Moshe got his first Nevuah was Tu bav. About fifteen hundred years later on the same day, the people that were killed in Beitar were given kevura after many years. The connection between these two events is that they were two of the darkest periods of time. Do we realize what it meant to the dor hamidbar that Hashem didnt speak to Moshe for so many years? Then after Beitar was destroyed that was the last hope before the long exile. Can we imagine how the Yidden felt at that time? Yet there was hope - on Tu Bav came a spark of hope, Hashem showed us that we can, that we will rise up from the dark of the night. There is a bright future ahead 'If you desire it you'll find it'.

Tisha B'Av

After the Meraglim came back from spying the land of Eretz Yisroel, Klal Yisroel cried all night. In Parshas Devarim the Pasuk tells us that they said "Besinas Hashem oysanu hoitzunu meretz Mitzrayim...." For Hashem hates us has he brought us out of the land of Egypt to give us into the hands of the Amorites to exterminate us. The Soporno says that Klal Yisroel was scared that Hashem wanted to take revenge on them for worshiping idols in Mitzrayim, so he wanted the Amorites to kill them. They cried because they gave up, they thought all was lost. They got reports from the meraglim that the people living in Eretz Yisroel were powerful and strong. Instead of putting their faith in Hashem that they will go into Eretz Yisroel and win the Battles and with Hashems help conquer the land, they found reasons to believe that Hashem hates them and that they're not worthy of any more miracles. This is what the Chazal call "Bechiah shel chinnom" crying for naught they cried all night but they cried out of hopelessness. The punishment is that that same day is reserved for "Bechiah shel emes" true bitter tears.
There's a story said that after the chorban Yermiyahu was crying and a non-Jewish philosopher met him and asked how can such a brilliant man like you cry over wood and stones. To which Yermiyahu answered that you'll never understand it. The Navi wasn't crying for what was and all that we lost but he cried for a yearning to see Hashem to feel that closeness that we enjoyed in the Bais Hamikdosh. He was telling the goy that you will never understand how a Jew cries for we don’t cry out of hopelessness we cry because we know there will be an end to all our troubles and we yearn for that day. That is what all our tears should be for.
Tisha Bav is called a Yom Tov and we don’t say Tachnun or slichos like the other fast days. The message is clear - while there is mitzvah to cry on Tisha Bav we cannot fall on our hands and just give up and say there is no hope for us. We cannot even say viduy and confess our sins because it may lead us to rationalizing that we deserve what we are getting and Hashem wants to take revenge on us. Giving up and feeling lost was the sin of the Meraglim. The crying of Tisha Bav is a crying of yearning and waiting for that day when we won't have anymore worries.
How is it possible for the Yidden that went through all the tzoras, the ones that lived through the churban, the ones that were driven out of their homes in Spain, the one that saw cities being rampaged by the crusaders, and the worst destruction that ever fell upon the Jews since man was created, the Holocaust - How did they have the strength to be mikadesh shem shomaim the way they did? How did the poshiter yidden of not so long ago live and die with such awesome mesiras nefesh?
A teenage girl was in a slave labor camp, to stay alive people would steal from the kitchen which was punishable by death. This one girl said that she doesn’t want to steal for if she has to die she wants to die because she’s a Jew not because she stole a potato. A shoemaker in the Kovno ghetto was arrested on his way to daven holding his tallis bag under his arm. As the Germens led him through the streets Ithche Moshe walked between his captors not as if he were the prisoner, but as if they were his escorts to do the greatest mitzvah. Bochrim that risked everything they had gave up their food rations just so that they can put on tefilin. The group of kedoshim knowing that it's their last night in this world, they where going to be hung the next morning, stood and davened the tefilos of Yom Kipper. As the noose was put around their necks they were holding at the end of Neillah and they were mekabel ol malchos shomaim screaming Hashem Hu O'Elokim. How about just a few years ago when a Arab animal blew himself up in a pizza store, and you were able to hear a father himself lie there dying and in unimaginable pain, tell his small kids to say Shema Yisroel together. This is just a drop in the bucket of the tears that fell. How did these simple Yidden - some that didn't have the zchus of learning in Yeshiva, how did they have the strength to laugh in the face of the Nazis, to just spit in the face of the Malach Hamoves?
They realized that every tzar we go through in this bitter golus has a purpose. Reb Elchonon Wasserman, as the Nazis were standing there preparing to take him and his Talmidim away gave his last shmooze to all of Klal Yisroel. "Heaven apparently considers us righteous people, for it wants us to atone with our bodies for Jewry as a whole........... we will thereby save the remaining Jews, so that they will be able to carry on as the remnant of Jewry. Let us walk with our heads held high...... we are about to fulfill the greatest mitzvah- the mitzvah of Kiddush Hashem. The fire that consumes our bodies is the fire that will rebuild the Jewish people." What he was saying is that every tzar we go through, every tear we shed is a building block, it's just a piece of our long history on the path to rebuild the third Bais Hamikdosh. Every anguish we feel in this long bitter golas is really a building process that started that night when the Yidden gave up hope of entering Eretz Yisroel. Every tear of hope is a Tikkun to that crying and a new stone in the Third Bais Hamikdosh. It is these fires these bullets and these tears that are the bricks of the Geulah. May this Tisha Bav be a real Yom tov not just a building block for the future but the future we have been yearning for for 1,939 years. Amen!

Feeling The Shechina’s Pain. Guest Vaad by Reb Sabra

The Talmud (Chagiga 5b) brings the following passage said to Yechezkel the Prophet. B’mistorim tivku Nafshi ,Hashem says “I cry in a hidden place”. The Talmud explains that Hashem has a place called Mistorim where he cries. Cries over what? Hashem is in pain and He is crying over the destruction of the beis hamikdash, and the long exile.

During the Three Weeks there is a lot of talk about feeling the pain of the Shechina. Hashem is in pain and we should feel it in us. How does one feel the pain of the Shechina? We don’t even understand the personal pain we’re supposed to feel over the churban, how are we supposed to feel Hashem’s pain?

(When the Jews were sent to Babel after the destruction of the first temple and they sat at the river of Babylonia they cried, what were the jews crying over? Bzuchrainu es Tzion, when we remembered the glory of Zion. They lost their homes, were exiled from their land, thousands upon thousands were cruelly murdered, yet what was their pain? Eich nashir es shir Hashem al admas neichor, How can we sing Hashems holy songs on foreign soil, the pain of Hashem, that is what they were crying over.)

On a national level its easier to feel Hashems pain. Israel is under attack, soldiers are in danger, and Jewish homes are being destroyed. The pain of kids-at-risk, or thousands of Jews intermarrying that we still can feel some pain over. But when our sages said “whoever the beis hamikdash wasn’t built in his lifetime it’s as if it was destroyed in his lifetime” they were talking on an individual level. Did you in your lifetime do anything to rebuild the beis hamikdash? Did you on a personal level connect with Hashems pain?

So how do we connect in our own personal way to Hashems pain?

R’ Shimshon Pincus relates a beautiful mashal: There was once a young man ,who needing to support his family, decided to become a singer at weddings, this way he can make money and be and gladden the bride and groom(a mitzvah no less) at the same time. Realizing that the bride and groom are the center of the show and he is just a hired hand he performed in such a way as to be performing for the bride and groom while not drawing attention to himself. As time went on and people started hiring him more and more he started forgetting himself and started thinking that people were hiring him for his performance and he started to put on a show at the weddings he was hired for. His performances were first class and slowly people started paying more attention to his performances than to the bride and groom. This being the case his business started faltering and less and less people would hire him till he was totally without work. This singer approached a friend and asked him why did people stop using me my performances were top rate what am I doing wrong? His friend answered him the following “Your right your performances are first class and if anything you’ve gotten a lot better than when you were when you started out, however you forgot one thing. What is that? asked the singer. You forgot that you’re performing at a wedding not a concert, at a wedding the singer is not the center of attention no matter how good he is, it’s the young couples night and your just hired to enhance their simcha, that is what you forgot to remember and that’s why your out of work now.
R’ Shimshon explains that Hashem created this world Lchvodo, for His Honor, (Avos 6-11) everything, including man, was created to serve Hashem. We were created to be the “singer” in Hashems world, through our every move that we do our every action we are supposed to bring out kvod shmayim, honor for Heaven, and help bring the world to its ultimate purpose which is to be centered around Hashem. However as time moved on and we became comfortable and successful in this world we forgot our purpose and started thinking that we are the center of everything and Hashem is just there to give us what we need ,food, health, money, family, in order for us to be the center of the show.(R’ Shimshon points out that in perek shira(a song composed by king david where all of creation sing a song to Hashem) all of creation is singing to Hashem, except man(for man isn’t mentioned in this song), all man does is ask Hashem for things but doesn’t think of praising him, for isn’t man the center of it all and doesn’t he deserve it all??)

Most of us live our lives in this way, we work for our next vacation, to see pleasure and pride from our kids, to be able to enjoy life, everything is about me and my pleasures and my enjoyment (or my pain). We all daven three times a day, learn our our daily learning schedule (whatever it is) and even give lots of charity , because without that Hashem won’t give us what we need in order for us to enjoy life, but that everything we do should be to add to kvod shamayim there are very few amongst us that live that way.

However there comes times(usually around yomim norim(days of awe rosh hashana and yom kippur) time) that we get that feeling this isn’t the way its supposed to be and we get this voice within us going “Hashem we really want to serve you that you are really what its about”. Sometimes we even feel a bit of pain and regret that we aren’t living the way it should be, that we should be focusing more on connecting with Hashem through our davening, learn a little more, speak less Lashon Hara and teach our kids with the right torah values. That voice, that pain is Shechinta Bgalusa(the shechina in galus) the shechina is crying from within us that we are heading away from our purpose and to please return back and make Hashem the center of our lives and worldview. Usually this voice and the pain are pushed back down and out of our minds, after all life goes on.

Our job during the Three Weeks, in feeling Hashems pain is to focus on that voice and let it scream out and feel that pain in your heart. Listen to your inner voice and even if you don’t do anything to change (that’s a job for Elul and Rosh Hashana)at least you are feeling the pain the Shechina is feeling, and then we can focus on what it would take to actually do something to bring the Ultimate Complete world where Hashem will be the center of the world, and we will merit to see in the Shechinas joy.
Kol hamisavel al yerushalyim zocheh vroeh bsimchsah bbm”a
Whoever mourns for Jerusalem, will merit and see it’s rebuilding.

Parshas Devarim

In this weeks Parsha we find a unblievable insght about the sin of Klal Yisroel by the Meraglim. The Posak says "V'tomru besinas Hashem oysanu hoitzunu meretz mitzraim...." For Hashem hates us has he brought us out of the land of eygpt to give us into the hands of the Amorites to exterminate us. The Soporno says that Klal Yisroel was scared that Hashem wanted to take revenge on them for worshiping idols in Mitzraim, so he wanted the Amorites to kill them. This was there mistake and becuse of this wer'e still crying today. They knew that they had sinned in Mitzraim and even though Hashem had made all miricals for them he still wanted ;to even the score'. They knew that they had zechusim but Hashem still had something against them. That was their mistake they didn't relize that Hashem is a all loving Father that forgave them for that. That is why they cried becuse they thought that all is lost and they didnt have faith in Hashem.

Harav Shloma Ben Harav Ben Tzion Zatza'l Admir M'Bobov

The second Bais Hamikdosh was destroyed due to sinas chinam- senseless hatred. R' Shloma of Bobov explains that the merit Rochal had that the Bais Hamikdosh was built in her sons portion- in the area of Binyomin was because she sacrificed her future all that her sister shouldn't be embarrassed in the slightest. Even though she knew that she was to help Yakov build the shevatim and yet she gave the simanim that Yakov gave her, to her sister. It was this misieras nefesh that built the Bais Hamikdosh and now that Klal Yisroel didn't have this Middah all was lost.
One can see what a Gadol stands for, by learning his Torah and understanding how he looked at the Torah. In this piece we see exactly what the Bobover Rebbi stood for and what he was moser nefesh for. Today on his Yortzait let us learn this lesson. May the Rov Zatzal be a Mieletz Yosher for all of Yisroel he so loved. Amen

The Three Weeks Part 3

We cannot fathom what the Bais Hamikdosh really was. We can only learn and read about it and hopefully try to understand a little. If you meet a kid that was an orphan all his life and tell him, today is a sad day, it's the day your father died. It won't come naturally to the kid for he doesn't know what a father means, or what he's missing by not having a father. In the above parable you can at least explain to the kid look at other kids and see what they have- that is what your missing. We don't have a Bais Hamikdosh for almost two thousand years it is almost unexplainable to us what went on there. R. Yitzchok Hutner points out that the Chazal, which lived after the second Bais almost never tried to describe what the first Bais Hamikdosh was like. They knew that the first bais hamikdosh was infinitely greater then the second one and that even them who lived 500 years later couldn't relate to it. Yet we were given three weeks to think about it and an even harder task- to mourn it. If someone were to tell us that he'll take away all our worries and there will be peace in the world, the doctors will find a cure for all diseases and we'll be able to live worry free, but the catch would be that Moshiach won't come. How many of us will be ready to sign on? I would. We are no better then the lady that wanted Moshiach should take away the Cossacks. Do we really want Moshiach? Or do we just want to live a peaceful life? Of course we must cry and mourn for all the tragedies that befell us through the years and at the same time understand what the real problem is and what is secondary. We must realize how far removed we are from concepts of what the Bais Hamikdosh was. We don't realize what it means to live with the Shechina to see Hashem clearly, and that's the biggest tragedy of this long golus. "

Parshas Mattos

"Lo kol hamarba beschora mechakim" Not everyone that's involved in business will get smart. (Avos, 2;7) The Chassam Sofer explains that this is referring to torah learning, (as we find Posukim that call Torah by the name 'sechora') that not everyone that learns will become smart. There are types of learning which won't make as big as an impression on a person. He gives a parable to illustrate this point. There was a big rav that came to town to speak to the kehilla. One fellow told his friend - how about you go to the drasha and I'll sit and learn during that time and when your done you'll tell me what the rav said and I'll tell you what i learned. The Chasam Sofer says that this system will not work. When a Rebbi speaks before a crowd and is spreading Torah leshma his words are on the level of Moshe Rabbainu. This level was that "Hakodosh Buroch Hu medaber metoch groino" Hashem was the one talking through Moshe's throat. When one learns directly from a Gadol he's hearing the Shecinah speak and for that Torah there's no substitute. Even if someone tells you word for word that Torah will not make you smarter, only Torah that you learn from your rebbi will make you a real chacham.
That is what the Torah is saying "Vayidaber Moshe el roshai hamatos l'bnei yisroel" Moshe spoke to the heads of the tribes, to the Jews. Moshe wanted to teach Klal Yisroel how to learn Torah even when he's not around. Klal Yisroel was getting ready to go into Eretz Yisroel without Moshe, the one that gave them the Torah from Hashem. Without him how would they learn Torah, who would be able to teach them as well as Moshe did? To this Moshe told them the key. Learn Torah from the "Roshai matos" everyone is to go to their leader to learn and by doing so they will really be listening to the Shechina speak. Just like they did when Moshe taught them Torah.
Today 27th day of Tamuz is the yahrtzeit of my grandfather Mordechai ben Chaim Tzvi, a yid that lived with this in mind. The way he would talk about and be mechabed Gedolai Yisroel he must have looked at them as his link to Sinai and his attachment to the Shecinah itself. Yehai zecroh boruch.

The Three Weeks Part 2

"Al naharos Bavel shom yushavnu gam bochienuh" As we sat on the shores of Bavel our first experience of galus as a nation. We were driven from our homeland in brutal fashion with hundreds of thousands dead, our nation in ruins. What were they crying for? Dovid Hamelach continues the Pasuk "Bezachrainu ess Tzion." At the moment they got to Bavel they didn't cry for themselves in exile far from their home, not for all the pain and suffering they went through, not for the uncertainty that lay ahead or even all their lost and tortured brethren. They cried for one thing "Tzion". All that was bothering them was that they didn't have the Bais Hamikdosh and that they were so far removed from Hashem. What was this connection that they so yearned for? What was so catastrophic that they ignored all their pain and cried just for that yearning?

The Three Weeks Part 1

A story is told of a Jewish couple living in Russia. The husband comes home from the Ein Yaakov shiur and tells his wife, "The rav says that we should pack our bags, we are going to Eretz Yisroel, Moshiach is coming any day!" His wife asked him, "Who is Moshiach. Why are we going with him?" He answered, "The Rav said that he's going to rebuild the Bais Hamikdosh where we'll bring Korbonas. The Leviem will sing the shira it's going to be unbelievable". The wife answered, "Why do I have to go to Eretz Yisroel to be happy. I have my cow that gives me milk, the chickens for some food - I'm perfectly happy here." The yid not knowing what to answer ran to the Rav and told him that his wife doesn't want to come along with Moshiach. "Tell her", said the Rav, "that when Moshiach comes the Cossacks won't come along with us and they won't bother us anymore". He runs home to tell his wife this wonderful news to which his wife starts thinking, maybe that's a good idea after all no Cossacks means we will be able to live in peace. Then she came up with a brainstorm, she tells her husband, "Go tell the Rav that when Moshiach comes he should take the Cossacks to Eretz Yisroel and we will live in peace without even moving!"
What are we mourning in the three weeks? Are we just crying over all the lives we have lost and over all the torture we've been through? Or are we crying for the Shechina that's also in Galos?

Parshas Pinchas

The Shabbos Korbon mussof consists only of a korban Olah while the Moadim have A korban chattos also. Why is that? what is the difference between Shabbos and Yom Tov that the later has an additional korban chatos?
The basic difference between Shabbos and Yom Tov is said in the davening, on shabbos we say "mekadash Hashabbos" that HAshem is the one that sanctifies the Shabbos. While on Yom Tov we say "Mikadash Yisroel v'hazmanem" meaning Hashem sanctified the Jews and we have the power to sanctify the Yom Tov. On Shabbos the kedusha come from above without us doing anything, but Y'T HAshem says let's go see when Klal Yisroel made Rosh Chodesh we have the power to bring down Yom Tov to us.
On Yom Tov Klal Yisroel takes a step towards Hashem, as we take that step we realize how far we are and the only way to come closer to Hashem is with tshuva so we bring a Korban chattos asking for forgiveness that we can have the ability to dare to try and step towards HAshem. When Shabbos comes it comes to us as a gift from Hashem we don't have to make any effort to sanctify it so there is no need for that Korbon chattos as we have on Yom Tov.
Gut Shabbos.

Story Time

A yid once came to the Satmer Rebbe, who was known for his zealousness, and asked why is there a break in the middle of the story of Pinchos? Why is it that the story of what happened is in Parshas Balak and Pinchos' reward is stated in this week's Parsha? The Yid answered that the lesson is that before one acts zealously he must think about it for a week and only then act. To which the Rebbe answered - the reason is that all cheder kids learn the beginning of the Parsha and not the end. Had the whole story been taught at the end of last week's Parsha the cheder kids wouldn't learn the lesson of zealousness that we learn from Pinchas.

Parshas Chukas

The mishna in Rosh Hashana says "Vechi nachash meimis oy nachash mechayah elah lomar luch shekol zman shohya Yisroel mistaklim klapia mallah umishabdim ess lebom huya misrapim..."
After Aharon was niftar the Torah relates that Klal Yisroel got impatient of the traveling and complained to Moshe about food and water. The Posuk continues "Then Hashem let the poisonous serpents loose against the people." After they did teshuva Hashem told Moshe "Make yourself a poisonous serpent and set it on a high pole, and everyone that is bitten, when he looks upon it shall live." The Mishna quoted above asks, does a snake have healing powers that just by looking at it one got healed? The mishna answers, that whenever one would look up to the heavens and dedicate their hearts to Hashem they'd be healed. The snake didn't have any special healing powers it was just a way to get the nation to look up and see Hashem. The point that needs clarification is why did Hashem give them this medicine at this time? Why did this sin get this punishment and this specific remedy?
Klal Yisroel at that point had what to eat - namely the mon - they were just not satisfied with it and they wanted real natural food that regular humans eat and drink. They asked Hashem to let them live naturally. The posak says Hashem let "Hanechashem" the serpents. Hashem didn't create or transfer new snakes to where Klal Yisroel was. All He did was let the serpents do their natural thing and attack the people. These were the same serpents that naturally roam the dessert, that he miraculously kept away from them for forty years. The snakes where always there but the Yidden didn't even see them, for Hashem kept them protected from all the dangers in the dessert. Now that they complained that they want to live a natural life Hashem gave them a taste of life in the dessert with all its dangers. The attacks of the serpents weren't a punishment but rather that is what they had asked for. The tshuva for this was to look up and see that there are snakes out there and the only one that's protecting you from them is Hashem. One who was bitten had to only fix the image of a serpent firmly in his mind so that he realizes that even when Hashem's gracious power will keep the serpents at a distance he will remember that the danger is still lurking and only with Hashem's mercy are we being saved. Just like the punishment was just what they asked for so to the medicine was just to help them see and correct their mistake and way of thinking.
We most learn from this Parsha that anything that comes our way is closely calculated by Hashem's great mercy. Any danger in life that doesn't come our way is a special protection from Hashem, and when c"v something not to pleasant comes our way, every big prize in the lottery that Hashem has failed to let us win, it is Hashem that in his infinite wisdom and mercy sending our way. We must have the lesson of the the serpents ingrained in our minds and be able to recognize that all of it has a reason and is directly from Hashem.
Taken from R. S. R. Hirsch zt"l

Parshas Korach

The Mishna in Avos says "Any argument that's leshaim shemaim- with a noble purpose will result in abiding value, but any controversy that has no noble purpose shall not have abiding value. Which controversy was one of noble purpose? The controversy between Hillel and Shammai. And which had no noble purpose? The controversy of Korach and his company." The Ohr Gedalyauh comments that the problem with Korach wasn't in his arguments it was merely that they weren't not leshaim shomaim. If he would of meant what he said it would of been an everlasting argument just like Hillel and Shammai. What is it that Korach said? What is it that got him off track? And is there any significance of the placement of this Parsha?
Reb Tzodok Hachoen from Lublin in a classic piece says, that in Eretz Yisroel everyone in Klal Yisroel will have the capability to learn and strive in there yiddishkiet on their own. In a perfect world there is no need for leaders of Klal Yisroel to lead ,all of us will have his own channel to Hashem. The Medrash says that when Moshiach comes he's going to want to teach Klal Yisroel Torah, but we're going to tell him go teach the goyim - we want to learn straight from Hashem. Korach felt that Klal Yisroel was ready for this level and that is what he meant when he said "Ki kol haaida kulam kidoshim" For the whole community, everyone of them, is holy. His argument was that there was no need for Moshe to lead the Jews anymore - that everyone was ready to forge his own connection to Hashem. His theory was a correct one but he didn't realize that Klal Yisroel wasn't ready for such a intense connection with Hashem. Like the meraglim before him and Miriam before that he didn't accept that Moshe was their connection to Hashem. They still needed Moshe and Ahron to forge that connection and lead the way into Eretz Yisroel and then they would be able to be on their own. If Korach would've waited until Klal Yisroel was ready, his argument would've been accepted, but he was blinded with jealousy that steered him in the wrong direction, that was his "Shelo leshaim shmaim", that he wasn't up to par with his argument. Had he been at the point where he was ready to lead himself, then this machlokes would've gone down in history as a holy one, just like Hillel and Shammai.
We are at the end of the month of Kabolas Hatorah and in the middle of Seder Bamidbar. What is the connection? How does it all tie together?
Bamidbar started with the counting of Klal Yisroel, that every one of us has his own uniqueness and goals. We continued to Nassoh and Bahloscha where Hashem asks certain Jews for more then others, but everyone has a place in the grand scheme, each one a letter in the Torah. Yet there are dangers with this. You start to feel that you're greater than you really are, and you don't realize that we have leaders that connect us to Hashem - that how unique and great we are we must realize that we are far from the source. We have to learn from Miriam, the meraglim and Korach that Moshe is the leader. Without him we wouldn't be what we are. So to in every generation we have the Gedolim that not just lead the way, but are our connection to Hashem and not listening and learning from them we all are lost. Until that one day when Hashem will elevate us and we all will be able to learn straight from Hashem.

Parshas Shelach

Last weeks Parsha ends off with the story of Miriam being punished for speaking Loshon Harah about Moshe. This weeks Parsha tells us the story of the meraglim- spies and their loshon harah about the land of Yisroel. Rashi points out this juxtaposition and explains that the meraglim were to learn from Miriam, about the consequences of speaking loshon harah and they didn't. Let us try and get a better understanding of what they were to learn from Miriam, and what we can learn from the meraglim.
Miriam- who was a prophetess in her own right, equated Moshe with all other Neviem, saying that just as the other Neviam didn't need extra special preparations to get nevuah so to Moshe doesn't have to go that extra step. Her 'mistake' was that she thought that her brother was on the same level as all the other prophets. Not realizing that even though all prophets are holy, Moshe was the 'av' (literally the father) of all the Neviem, he was the one that connected the prophets of all times to the higher source. Moshe was the only Navi in history that actually went up to heaven. What Miriam didn't realize was that Moshe was on a much higher level then the rest of the Neviem and that he was the one that brought down nevuah to the rest of the prophets and that's why he needed extra preparation.
The Torah (13;26) says "And they went and came to Moshe.." says Rashi, that just as the returning was with evil intentions so to their leaving was with evil intentions. The Maharal asks: Rashi in the beginning of the Parsha says that all the Meraglim were great men, leaders of klal yisroel, so how was it that their going was with bad intentions at that moment they were still great people? The Maharal answers that Moshe sent them to spy the land as his own messengers - that they went as messengers of Klal Yisroel that was their mistake. The Medrish says that Eretz Yisroel wasn't ready for Klal Yisroel, for the Knanim destroyed the land and Hashem promised a land of flowing milk and honey so Hashem made them wait forty years for it to be rebuilt. But had Moshe gone into Eretz Yisroel he would've had the proper influences and changed the physical aspect of the land. Hashem told Moshe to send them 'Ledatacha' according to your 'opinion', meaning that the point was that Moshe should send his 'influence' and the meraglim should prepare the land for Moshe to come into. This is where they failed, they went as messengers of klal yisroel to spy the land and not of Moshe to uplift the land. Just like Miriam before them, they didn't realize that Moshe was on a higher plane then the rest of the nation and that their orders were to connect Moshe and the holy land. They thought Eretz Yisroel was just like any other land and that Moshe was just like any other prophet, while both of them are on a much higher 'madreiga'. They are our connection to Hashem and his kedusha.

Parshas Behaloscha

Lezchos Moshe ben Blima lerefuah shlaima
In the Parsha we learn about the appointment of the Leveim and of the process they went through to attain their holiness. The Pasuk (8;16) says "Ki nissunim nissunim hiema li" For given, given are they (the Leviem) to me. Rashi says that why does it say "given" two times? One is that the leviem were given over to Hashem for singing in the Bais Hamikdos and so to they were given to Hashem for the carrying of the mishkon. What is the juxtaposition between the two jobs the Leviem were given? What is the relationship between the building and ubuilding of the Mishkon and the singing in it?
Sometimes in life we go through periods of 'massah' where we feel like we are just carrying through. There are stages in life where its hard and one can't understand how he'll climb out of the rut. Sometimes it can be a sickness c"v or the like, or just 'tzar giddel bonim' the hardships of raising children when it just looks and feels like everything you ever build is being destroyed or you just feel like your always on the go but just can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. (Everyone goes through this sometimes, but hopefully most of the time small problems). The Torah is teaching you how to deal with it and grow with it, the key is, to think ahead to the future when the day will come and you'll have your chance to do your share of singing, of rejoicing and enjoying Hashems world. There is a story told of R' Giddel Eisin who was Rosh Yeshiva of Gur after the war. He said that he was not the best bachur growing up in Europe. The bachur that was better then him survived the war, but did not reach the great potential he had. R' Eisen said this was because whenever it got hard the other one would lament what was lost, while he always looked to the future and felt that he would survive and rebuild. That is why he stayed with all the Torah and Avodah that he worked on before the war while his friend almost lost all of it. That is the lesson here that the leviem were the ones that took down and moved the mishkon. How where they able to go through the dismantling stage? The Torah tells us by remembering that one day in the near future they will be the ones that will sing in a beautiful Mishkon - that is what got them through the hard and schlepping times. After the churban when the Leviem were asked to sing for their enemies they answered "Aich nashir es shir Hashem al admas neichor" (How can we sing Hashem's songs on a foreign soil) (Tehillem 137). What they were saying was that it's impossible to sing shira of the Bais Hamikdosh if you don't have the hardships that come along with the upkeep of Hashems house. Now that they were in exile they couldn't sing the songs of Bais Hamikdosh for they didn't have the work that came along. Just as it's impossible to go through the hard work of the upkeep of the Mishkon without the shira so to it's impossible to sing properly without first going through the stage of hard work. Only one who goes through difficulties can really appreciate the shira at the end of the day. Just getting up and starting to sing is not a real shira, shira comes from the heart from the depth of your heart and that comes only after living life to its fullest. Dovid Hamelach was the greatest composer in history. If we look through Tehillim we find most chapters deal with hardships that Dovid went through. The message is clear. Dovid was only able to sing the beautiful compositions of Tehillim because he lived through the hardships and grew with them. Only then could he sing the holiest song to Hashem. The two avodahs of the Leviem are intertwined, you cannot survive the 'masseh' the carring through daily life without realizing the shira, but yet you cannot expect to sing a real meaningful shira without first living life with all the challenges it throws your way.
The Chazal tell us that the 600,000 jews counted in the midbar represent the 600,000 letters in the Torah. The question is raised - What happened with the leviem? What part of the Torah do they represent? The seforim answer that the Leviem represent the parchment of the Sefer Torah. Meaning to say they are ones that keep the Torah and the jews together, helpping us get through the gulos as one keeping us together with the Torah, and the only way to do this is learning from the leviem, and realizing that one day real soon we will dance and sing the ultimate shira in Yerushlaim with Moshiach Amen.
Kol Haomer daver beshaim amroh mievi geula leolam, Thanks Rav Cary.

Parshas Naso

Lezchus Moshe ben Blima le'refuah shliema.
In this weeks Parsha we learn about the Nazir, someone who refrains from drinking wine, cutting his hair and defiling himself to the dead. This Parsha seems very perplexing for on one hand the Torah calls a Nazir 'Kodosh', so to the Rambam says that its praiseworthy for one to refrain from eating meat and drinking wine for a year or two. Yet the Gemora says that he's called a Chotah- sinner, and the Rambam says in Hilchos Deyas that one should not go to an extreme and totally refrain from eating meat and drinking wine. All this seems like a contradiction, so what is a Nazir? and is it right or wrong to act as one?
The Nesivos Shalom explains that there are different stages for different times of ones life. there are times when one must refrain from all outside influences and just concentrate on Avodas Hashem. Yet the goal in yiddishkiet is to incorporate Olam Hazeh into ones life. The Gemora (Nedarim 9b) says that Shimon Hatzadik never ate from a Korban of a Nazir- for he was scared that it wasn't an earnest naziris, except for once when the Nazir told him that he became a Nazir to help fight his Yetzer Hora and to that he said this is was what the Torah meant. The mitzva of Nazir is only a preliminary stage if one needs help fighting his Yetzer Horah then he's called a kodosh if he makes himself guidelines of staying away from olam hazeh. This is all good if it helps him get to the next stage which is uplifting the physical using the meat and wine to serve Hashem. One must realize that by just staying isolated from olam hazeh all his life hes called a chotah but you must take it for all its worth and make them tools to grow with and serve Hashem with. There are times when we have to realize that we cannot face the world on our own for those times the Torah gives you Hashems crown and you deserve a kiss from Shimon Hatzadik (Gemorah ibid.) for running away from the tyvas but the ultimate level is living life in this world with the challenges it brings and growing from them.

Kish Echod Belaiv Echod

The Chazal tell us that at the time of Kabbolas Hatorah 600,000 angels came down and crowned each member of Yisroel with the crown of Torah. The question is raised why did Hashem need 600,000 malachim to do the job wouldn't one malach suffice? Whats the significance that every Jew got his personal delivery of his crown?
The answer is quite simple, we know that one Malach cannot do two missions at the same time, each mission needs a separate angel. (as we see in Parshas V'yiera that three Malachim came to Avraham- one to heal him, the second to tell him that he'll have a son and the third to destroy sedom.) Chazal teach us that there are 600,000 letters in the Torah corresponding to the 600,000 Jews that were at Har Sini- which are representatives of all the Jews through the ages. (If you count you won't find that many letters but that's for a differant time.) Every member of Klal Yisroel has his own part in the torah, we say in davening "Vesain chelkainu betorahsecha" we ask for our own private portion of Torah. We all have a letter in the Torah that belongs to us and only us, our own personal part in the Torah. That is why we needed 600,00 Malachim because every Yid got a separate portion in the Torah. You couldn't have one Malach giving two people their crowns because no two crowns are alike, just like no two people are alike. Realising this doesn't just effect how you deal with your own learning, your own portion in Torah, but one must realize that his friends portion is different then his own, that just like you'r unique so to is your next door neighbor unique and you need his part of Torah in order for the Torah to be complete. This is why there had to be achdus - unity- at Kabbolas Hatorah for in order for everyone to receive a complete Torah he has to be willing to learn from all 599,999 other portions of the Torah besides his own. Rabbi Nachman says a beautiful analogy just like in a Sefer Torah if two letters are touching it makes it possel, so to if you just "touch" your friends feelings it renders your Torah possel. If you want the Torah to be complete you most make sure your friends and all of Yisroel are complete also. We all are busy Shevous with bien adam lamokom let's stop for a minute sometime during the Yom Tov of Kabbolas Hatorah and see if our bien adam lechaveriro is up to the same standards, and as one and only as one will we be mekabel the complete Torah. Gut Yom Tov!
Inspired by Rav C.A.F. (Hence the achdus theme) Thanx for everything.

Nasah V'neshma

The second day of Sivon Klal Yisroel said "Kol asher debar Hashem nasah" Everything Hashem says we will do. Before we were offered the Torah Hashem went to all the nations of the world and asked if they would like the Torah when they asked whats in it Hashem told each nation something which is their weakness e.g. Edom was told "Tho shall not kill". Hearing this all nations rejected the Torah but Klal Yisroel said "Nasah V'nishma" we will do and then hear. What exactly went on here? What did Hashem offer? Why did he tell them precisely what he knew they wouldn't agree to? What does nasah v'nisha mean?
Hashem came down to this world to find a bride for the Torah- something that was created before the world, meaning that's its outer worldly. To be able to marry the Torah one has to be someone that's willing to go out of this world, to be able to live a life of total sacrifice to what it says in it. The first step in this marriage is, willing to change ones self, to change your outlook, your will, your earnings in order to conform to that of Hashem and his Torah. Accepting the Torah means living your life, as hard as it may be according to Hashems will. The first stop in looking for a bride was to the nations of the world. When they asked whats in it that showed that they wanted the Torah to confirm to them, to their own needs and will. That is why Hashem told them about a mitzva that was opposite then their respective personalities and of course the answer was a no, they were not willing to change, they wanted to stay part of this world and all its tyvas. Not so was the case when Klal Yisroel was asked, we answered nasah v'nishma we are willing to make your will, whatever it might be and entail, our will. We are willing to go trough fire and water, to give up our lives, and most of all to change ourselves, our own personalities all for Hashem and his Torah. Even before we knew what was in it we said we are willing to go through the struggle whatever it might cost us to have the privilege to marry the Torah. We have made some mistakes through the years, forty days later there was the sin of the eigal- the golden calf- but that didn't deter us from the pass on which we started, striving to be that perfect nation living life according to the perfect Torah. (That is why the dancing with the Torah doesn't happen happen on Shevous only on Simchas Torah to show that even if we make mistakes theres a Yom Kipper and then a Succos showing that we're married to Hashem and to his Torah and hes always waiting for us with open hands.) That is the preperation for Kabbolas Hatorah willing to change yourself and conform to Hashems.

Parshas Bamidbar

Here is part one I hope I have enough time to complete the second part before Shabbos.
This week we start a new Sedar in Chumish Sedar Bamidbar. The Medrish refers to it by the name 'sefer hapekudim' the book of counting (so to in English, its referred to as Numbers). There is a special emphasis in the Chumish on the counting of the Bnei Yisroel, a total number per tribe, per 'degal' -each section made up of four tribes- and a grand total of Klal Yisroel as a whole. Everyone in Klal Yisroel was counted "After the families, after the house of their fathers, with the number of the names, every male.." Everyone was part of three total numbers, how many belonged to each tribe, to each degal and one of the 600,000 total men in Yisroel. What is the significance of everyone being counted by their name and by their families? why did each person get counted as part of three groups? and why was it that the counting was done by Moshe with the help of the heads of each tribe?
The Soporno explains the verse "With the number of the names" that every Hebrew name has it's own significant meaning. That with proper understanding one is able to identify his own personal 'tachlis', goal and purpose in life. By studying ones name and understanding what it means one can see how it fits in with his personality and realize what his personal purpose in life is. (The Seforim say that when a father names his child he's given a spark of ruach hakodesh). A name is intertwined with a person's personality, struggles one faces and potential he has. Understanding it is the map of ones purpose and goal in life on this world. That's why such emphasis was put onto the counting by name and why it was done by the heads of the tribes and Moshe so that everyone should be taught and come to realize and see that he's not just a number but rather a name, an individual with his own personality his own strengths and his own unique purpose in life.

Parshas Bhar

One of the most famous questions in Rashi is in this weeks parsha, "Ma inyan shmitta aitzel har sinai" The torah starts the laws of shmitta with a introduction of "Bhar sinai" Rashi wants to know what is the significance that this mitzva was said at mount sinai. Rashi answers just like all the laws and applications of shmitta are taught in this parsha, at sinai, so to all the laws and applications of all the torah was taught at sinai. The answer still needs clarification, why is it that this mitzva was chosen to teach us this rule (that all mitzvas in their entirety were taught at sinai)? Why couldn't the torah teach it by the laws of kashrus for example?
The answer to all this lies in one word/concept- emunah - complete trust and faith in Hashem. When the yidden were at Har Sinai they got to the point where they saw Hashem as clear as day. As much as one believes in something it doesn't compare to seeing that thing. At that moment of Kabbolas Hatorah the revelation was so awesome that klal yisroel knew that Hashem is one and his name is one. Never in history was it that clear, that we actually saw and heard Hashem.
The forty years klal yisroel spent in the desert the main goal was to perfect this trust that even if they don't see Hashem they should fully trust in him. The Navi calls it a chesed that we followed Hashem blindly through the wilderness, with complete faith. (If one studies the problems encountered in the forty years they all are in some form related to lack of emunah). All this was in preparation for the ultimate goal of living in G-ds land totally immersed in faith of Hashem.
The posak states "When you come into the land which i give you, then shall the land keep a shabbos unto G-d. Six years you shall plow...... And in the seventh year there shall be a shabbos." R' Chaim Kanievsky in his sefer Tayma D'mikra points out that we know that while the Jews were conquering and dividing the land they didn't keep shmitta. It took twenty one years from when we entered Eretz Yisroel until we kept our first shmitta. He raises the question why does the Torah state "When you come into the land....." this wasn't true for many years. He explains it beautifully with a Medrash that says Hashem made a condition with Moshe that the jews will get the land only if they maintain the laws of shmitta. (That is how it actually played out as we see in the tochacha- curses in bechukosai chapter 26;34) That is what the posak means "When you come into the land, you must agree to these laws". Shmitta is more then just giving the land a rest. It shows complete faith in Hashem that even in a year when you don't touch your field Hashem is the one that's feeding you. This is why these laws were a prerequisite to living in Eretz Yisroel. For living in Hashem's land one must realize this and put his complete trust in him. Even more, everyone that knows anything about fields will tell you that it's not good to use your field year in and year out for it weakens the ground and it doesn't produce as it should. Yet the Medrash says that when the torah says that "Six years you shall plow..." it is to be taken literally. Hashem promised us that if you plow your field for six years and rest it on my time table- every seventh year, then it will be blessed so that not just the seventh year are you showing trust in him, but every year that you don't give the fields a rest you are showing complete faith in his Torah.
This is the juxtaposition between shmitta and Har Sinai. Just like the giving of the Torah was with complete faith in Hashem so to the goal of shmitta is to achieve complete faith in Hashem.

Parshas Emor part 2

I was thinking that this idea can be tied into the time period we're going through on our way to Kabolas Hatorah, Sefiras Haomer. Rashi in Parshas Beshalach says that the bnei Yisroel were given three mitzvos in Marah before they got the Torah. One of them was the mitzva of Parah Adumah (the laws regarding the red heifer which comes to purify people that come into contact with the dead). All meforshi rashi try giving reasons for this, but i would like to suggest something. Klal Yisroel came out of Mitzraim with a mission of receiving the torah they were given forty nine days to lift themselves up from the 49th level of impurity to the 49th level of kedusha. Every day they went up one level untill they got to the point where Hashem said "Veatem tihiu li mamlechas kohanim v'goy kodosh". Everyone in the Jewish nation men, women and children got to the level of kohanim. (please read part 1 of this parsha). With this in mind it's quite simple to understand why they needed the mitzva of parah aduma before Matan Torah. For in order to get the torah they had to be ready to recieve Hashem to their fullest capacity, and that is not possible when one is impure.
This also explains why Hashem made a miracle that all the sick were healed before matan torah. We learned in part 1 that in order to receive the maximum radiance from Hashem one must be physically whole. So that's why they needed this miracle so that everyone in bnei yisroel can receive the fullest possible radiance from above. We must learn from this while we prepare ourselves for Shavuos and our own Kabolas Hatorah to prepare ourselves physically and spiritually to be able to receive the torah to our fullest capacity.

Gut Shabbos!

Parshas Emor

This week's parsha speaks about Kohanim and their kedusha. We learn that kohanim aren't permitted to be metama -defile- themselevs through the dead and that a baal mum cannot officiate in the bais hamikdush. Let's try to understand why this is.
R. Yonnason Eibshitz explains the reason a kohen must be "whole" is that we know that the point of mitzvos is to get closer to Hashem. Being so, every mitzva we do we get closer to hashem. Every mitzva has its own 'channel' that connects you to that closeness. (i.e. when we keep shabbos we connect to that spiritual rest, the part of Hashem that radiates rest to the world). Further more we are taught that 613 mitzvos represent 613 body parts. So when one does a mitzva the representative body part connects to hashem. Our bodies are the vessel that recieves hashems blessings - each one with connection to its representative mitzvah.
A kohen, being that they are klal Yisroels link to the one above - they're the ones that bring our avodah- the Korbonos, to Hashem. They must be whole so that they can recieve the complete spiritual wealth from hashem and transfer it to us. When the Kohanim do the avodah in the bais hmikdosh they don't just have to be physically whole but their spiritual well being must be at the highest level and thats only possible if they're completly healthy so that they get the best possible connection to Hashem. So to, they cannot defile themselves becuse that will interrupt Hashem's radience to Klall Yisroel simply becuse Hashem cannot fully rest within them.

Are we using our brains?

I heard a amazing story/insight from R' Y. Hutner. A talmud of his once came by bus from Yerushlaim to vist him in Netanyah. Of course he took along a sefer to keep him company on the bus. He walked in to his Rosh Yeshiva and the first thing he said was 'you dont have 2 hours of torah in your head?' meaning, that theres no reason a ben torah wherever he goes shouldnt have what to think about in torah, that he shouldnt even need a sefer. Theres even more to it, he had a complaint that the talmud dosn't know how to think in learning without a sefer, that thinking without one trains the mind to think deeper into learning. How many of us can think in learning more then five minutes away from a gemorah, I know I cant. Its something that takes training. We all have enough of material to cover ten minutes (i hope) but do we hav the concentration?
What do you think?

Parshas Kedoshim

Kedoshim Teyuh... 'You shall be holy, for i hashem am holy'. A living person is full of potential , to grow (and c''v to fall) and become a true servent of hashem. His potential is not complete up until the second that one dies, at that moment we can judge if he has fulfilled his lifes mission of getting closer to hashem. That is what the torah is saying Kedoshim Teyuh you shall strive all your days to be and become holy and holier 'KI kadosh ani hashem' for i hashem AM holy i dont need nor have room to to grow. I am the empitome of holiness. Our lifes mission is to try and emulate and get closer to him every second of our lives and to strive for that kedusha.
The medrish says hashem said "'kedoshem teyuh' you'd think (that you shall be holy) like me says the posek 'ki kodosh ani' my holiness is holier then yours". Reading this medrish sounds very discouraging. We can never achieve real holiness for only hashem is holy so why even try? Whats the point of starting something thats not humanly possible to complete? Yet as Reb samson Raphael Hirsch points out that the only times we find the posak talking 'to all congregation of the children of israel' is in parshas Bo when hashem gave us final instructions for mitzias mitzraim, and here by the parsha of kedusha R' Hirsch says "no position in life, no age, no degree of fortune, is excluded from this call to the very height of absolute morality". We have to appreciate that Hashem gave us the zechus to try and tap into his holiness. To strive all our lives to get ever so holier slowly one step at a time and every step we take gives one the label of 'kodosh'. We might not ever get to the point of absolute pure holiness but we have to try and we will get there one day.